IN THIS POST
– Hardwood flooring
– Bamboo flooring
– Ceramic or porcelain tile flooring
– Linoleum flooring
– Vinyl flooring
Choosing the best flooring for your kitchen can be a little overwhelming. The market today is flooded with a wide range of flooring options that all seem better than the other. However, when it comes to kitchen floors, you need to keep two things in mind while making your choice: durability and functionality. Of course, the aesthetic appeal of the material along with its price also play an important role in finalizing your decision, but considering how you can’t redo your floors very frequently, you need to be extremely careful while selecting the flooring material.
Kitchens are usually the most popular rooms in any home, which means they receive a lot of foot traffic. Kitchen floors also have to endure a high number of stains and spills. Therefore, the flooring option you choose must be easy to clean and maintain, or else your cooking space will end up looking dull and dingy no matter how much time you spend scrubbing it.
Popular Kitchen Flooring Ideas
Having a hard time choosing the best flooring for your kitchen? Well, here are some of the most popular flooring options you can opt for.
- Hardwood flooring
- Bamboo flooring
- Ceramic or porcelain tile flooring
- Linoleum flooring
- Cork flooring
Let’s discuss each of these types of kitchen flooring options in detail.
Hardwood Flooring
Hardwood is one of the most popular flooring materials in homes across Pakistan. Not only do these floors add value to your property but also make the space look aesthetically pleasing and expensive. However, as most of us already know, hardwood is not very suitable for moist and humid locations.
As far as flooring materials go, hardwood is relatively high-maintenance and does not react well to water. Even if you seal the wood planks, there is still a good chance that constant exposure to humidity will cause the material to swell or contract, eventually damaging it.
But, the thing is, most kitchens are not very humid. In fact, unless you like washing your kitchen floors with water to clean them up, hardwood floors may be a good option for you. Moreover, hardwood floors are much comfortable to stand on ceramic or porcelain tiles.
If you want to install hardwood flooring in your kitchen, you’ll certainly have to take a few precautions and refrain from getting it completely wet, but it may work just fine for you.
Pros and Cons of Hardwood Floors
Let’s take a look at some pros and cons of hardwood flooring for kitchen:
Pro: They have high aesthetic appeal
Con: These floors are susceptible to water damage
Pro: Hardwood floors can be refinished
Con: They are prone to dents and scratches
Pro: They can increase the value of your property
Con: You’ll have to hire a professional for hardwood floor installation
Pro: It is softer than tiles and can make your home look warm and cosy
Con: Hardwood floors are relatively more expensive than most other popular flooring materials
Bamboo Flooring
Bamboo is perhaps one of the most eco-friendly flooring options for your home as it is made from a highly renewable natural source and is completely biodegradable.
One of the most alluring qualities of bamboo flooring is its similarity to traditional hardwood. At first glance, the two flooring materials may look the same, but the truth is that bamboo floors are less absorbent and relatively harder than the wooden ones. However, it is still considerably softer as sharp objects and heavy furniture can easily leave scuff marks and dents on the surface.
In order to make sure your bamboo flooring lasts several years, it is better to protect it by placing rugs and mats near the entrance, in front of the sink or other high-traffic locations.
Moreover, bamboo in its natural state is not suitable for installation in the kitchen. Therefore, you must opt for either engineered bamboo flooring, which is cheaper, or make sure the bamboo flooring has been sealed with a sealing agent comprising polyurethane. This would make your floors highly resistant to stains and moisture along with prolonging their life.
Bamboo floors are available in various shades of brown, though they can be painted and stained in a wide range of colours.
Pros and Cons of Bamboo Flooring
Here are the advantages and disadvantages of choosing bamboo kitchen flooring.
Pro: Good-quality bamboo flooring is as long-lasting as hardwood flooring
Con: Low-quality bamboo floors are prone to dents and scratches
Pro: Bamboo flooring offers a clean and minimalistic look
Con: Excessive moisture and humidity can damage bamboo flooring
Pro: You only need to clean it with a solution of water and mild soap
Con: You won’t be able to find much variety in terms of colours and designs
Pro: This kitchen flooring material is easy to install, even if you are new to the world of DIY home improvement projects
Ceramic or Porcelain Tile Flooring
Installing tiles is one of the most popular flooring ideas for kitchens.
Choosing the best type of tiles for your home can be more than a little stressful, which is why we have shortlisted ceramic and porcelain as two of the most popular options used in kitchens across Pakistan.
Ceramic tiles are usually considered the best kitchen flooring material owing to their durability, easy maintenance, aesthetic appeal and ability to withstand extreme temperature. Glazed ceramic tiles are also highly impervious to moisture, making them an ideal choice for your cooking space. Moreover, you can find these tiles in a number of colours, sizes, designs and patterns. They are also affordable and easy to install.
If you’re looking for the most durable flooring for the kitchen, porcelain tiles are also a good option as they are resistant to moisture, highly durable, excellent for high traffic use and available in a wide range of designs. Porcelain tiles are also beautiful, low maintenance and simple to clean. They can also be used to create a kitchen backsplash. However, you might have to hire a professional for their installation.
When it comes to choosing tile flooring for kitchens, it is always better to opt for a classic and timeless look instead of deciding on something trendy that might go out of style in a few years. Similarly, it is recommended to prioritize comfort and function over everything else.
Here are some basic dos and don’ts of picking kitchen tiles that might help you out.
Pros and Cons of Tile Flooring
These are some of the most noteworthy benefits and downsides of installing kitchen floor tiles.
Pro: Tiles such as ceramic and porcelain are pretty durable and can last you for a decade or longer if treated with care
Con: Owing to their hardness, tiles can be uncomfortable to stand on for a long period of time
Pro: Tiles can withstand a high amount of foot traffic and are highly resistant to moisture
Con: They can crack and chip if something falls down on the floor
Pro: If broken or cracked, most tiles can be easily replaced without much hassle
Con: Cleaning and maintaining grout lines can be a little difficult at times
Pro: Kitchen floor tiles are highly impervious to corrosion and rot
You can also take a look at the types of floor tiles and their rates in Pakistan to determine which one might be the best option for your home.
Linoleum Flooring
When it comes to choosing the best flooring for your kitchen, linoleum is also a great option.
Made from solidified linseed oil, ground cork dust, pine resin, wood flour and ground limestone, linoleum is an all-natural flooring material that is completely recyclable and rather budget-friendly. It usually comes with a burlap or canvas backing along with a protective top layer to prevent scuff marks and scratches.
There are quite a few different qualities of linoleum available in the market, with the most expensive options being the most durable. In fact, linoleum kitchen flooring can last you up to three decades, depending on how you clean and maintain them. It is also free of formaldehyde, which means you don’t have to worry about any toxic fume or indoor pollution.
Moreover, linoleum does not lose its colour over time as pigments are embedded throughout the material. In addition to that, linoleum kitchen flooring is suitable for both residential and commercial kitchens.
Pros and Cons of Linoleum Flooring
Here are some pros and cons of linoleum flooring.
Pro: It is one of the most durable kitchen flooring options available in the market
Con: This flooring material is resistant to moisture
Pro: Linoleum is completely biodegradable and thus good for the environment
Con: It is prone to dents and cuts from heavy furniture and sharp objects
Pro: Compared to most of the popular flooring options, linoleum is soft and comfortable under foot
Vinyl Flooring
Vinyl is one of the top kitchen flooring trends for 2020 owing to its versatility and lifespan.
Also known as PVC flooring, vinyl is a popular alternative to wood flooring in Pakistan. It is made from phthalate plasticizers, lead, polyvinyl chloride resin, brominated flame retardants and cadmium among other chemicals. This material is considered an ideal option for kitchen floors as it highly resistant to moisture and stains. It is also durable, sturdy, and most importantly, relatively inexpensive.
Furthermore, vinyl flooring is pretty easy to clean, as all you need to do is sweep and mop it regularly. It is also very easy to install and replace.
Luxury vinyl floors, which are slightly more expensive than other types of vinyl flooring, can mimic stone or hardwood. Not to mention, you can find this flooring material in a large number of colours, designs, textures and patterns.
Pros and Cons of Vinyl Flooring
Let’s take a look at some of the most important pros and cons of vinyl kitchen flooring:
Pro: Vinyl is a very budget-friendly flooring option
Con: Installing vinyl floors will not add much value to your home
Pro: This flooring material is highly impervious to water damage.
Con: Being a synthetic product, vinyl floors are not environment-friendly
Pro: You won’t have a hard time finding a vinyl sheet that fits the colour palette and style of your home
Con: It may be easy to install but can be hard to remove
Pro: Vinyl is a low-maintenance, easy to clean flooring material
So, did our comprehensive list help you choose the best flooring for kitchens? Let us know your comments and feedback by dropping an email on blog@zameen.com.
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